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42
lot 17 of the secondary cases, but w|ould not have saved 25. Of
Ithese latter the secondary case was infected before the primary
|v.is diagnosed in 16 instances. In 7, the primary ease was
Imissed and there were two eases of apparently simultaneous
lonset.
I In a number of cases it is doubtful whether removal ot
■tie primai y would have been effective in preventing the onset
■of the secondary, these being particularly cases in which the
PW of the secondary occurred some 3 to 8 days after tha
I'M of the primary, but only som,ri 2 to 4 days after the date
V recognition of the primary as a case.
I Of the 17 preventable eases 5 were of adults nursing the
Children.
The onset of the secondary infection occurred any time up
■° the 28th day. There appeared to be no particular time
■rom the onset of the first to,'the time the secondary succumbed
■wee weeks being slightly the commonest interval.
■^Luru Cases.
I. E«ht cases occurred within 10 days after the disinfection
'he premises and the patient allowed his liberty. Another
■furred on the 49th day from the onset of the primary case
■ °> at that time, was suffering from otorrhoea.
I Taking these and the secondary cases together, it is noB'c
that the cases occurred at the following times from the
|;dsc! °' the primary infecting case—within 1 Vreek 4; 2 weeks 3;
B 3. 4th 2; 5th 2; 7th 4. Realising that the isolation in many
Erf °' t'1° most perfunctory nature, particularly after the
■ ew days, these figures suggest that it is only in a few
» es that patients suffering from Scarlet Fever are infectious
■cof"? °' time -but that in these few, infectivity may
•at ^ration. ,In the case of the others, it seems probable
■J! ^ctivity is limited Wol a very short period and that Segre|s°"
w l'lc short time of the acu'te attack would probably
■j . ;,ent ® the average case. The assumption of absence of
Kj Ult- after the first few days would explain why there is
BveraB-Case C'lc Parentage of return cases on shortening the
■Srha ^orioc' °f stay, the absence of return cases in caScs
■'un/ i ear|y ^rorn hospital after treatment with specific
fcent t'1e a^se|tcc of return cases following the freeing of
Kc J ^eated by such methods as the Milne treatment,
UOus relative commonness of return cases would